Normality
by Raquelle2
Summary: normal day at School, and serenity may reign... for the moment.
1. Serenity

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters, nor make money from writing. Etc. Do not sue!  
  
Normal day at the mansion?  
  
Rogue was up before dawn. She was running round the grass, the wind gently blowing through her brown hair. She felt fresh. She had slipped out early to avoid the crowds, so she wouldn't have to wear gloves and thick clothes while running, which, as anyone could imagine, wouldn't be the best thing to run in. She stopped under the trees and sat down with a contented sigh. She liked it best this way. At first she cringed when she was alone, feeling that it was because of her power. But now she lived for the few quiet moments in the day where she could ponder over the days happenings, or in this case, any random thoughts that happened to come to her.  
  
Today it was Logan and Scott. Logan couldn't bear for her to even speak to another boy, it seemed. He disliked bobby with intense, although their friction had simmered down after the incident at Bobby's house. However, Logan's behaviour with Scott had re-lighted. At first, everyone had thought that they would be united with the separation of Jean, and surely enough they had been strangely civil towards each other. But as the school life had gradually got into a normal routine, their behaviour seemed to be even worse than before, bickering at the smallest things. Last night it had been over the 'babysitting' as Logan had called it. Both men resented the job, but both had to take on their duty and do it. After the loss of Jean, the punishments seemed to get worse for the smallest thing wrong. Scott had told Logan to baby-sit, as the others were going out, and Logan resented the fact. In fact, Professor Xavier himself got involved, as it was turning out to be a stand up fight, and many students were watching with mild interest.  
  
Rogue sighed. Why did she feel she needed to get involved? She did it without thinking. She had hurt Logan twice before, she knew the feeling, but still she touched him to stop him from lunging at Scott. No one blamed her. Even with Logan lying in the hospital wing had anyone blamed her? Which was why Rogue felt she needed to get away. It wasn't the first time.  
  
She glanced up. Bobby was strolling towards her, a look of concern at Rogue sitting all by herself. He sat down near Rogue, but she edged further away a realization seeped into her mind, after the initial happy thought of company. She hadn't brought a coat, or even her gloves with her. She couldn't hurt anyone else, especially not Bobby. Dear old Bobby.  
  
"Rogue." Bobby began  
  
"Don't" Rogue replied. "Look at me. I have so much skin showing. It can't work. I can't hurt you.' Tears came into her eyes as the look of desperation came into his.  
  
"I can't hurt you.' Rogue replied, whispering as she stood up and made her way to the mansion, to get ready for breakfast and class.  
  
***  
  
Maybe it was Bobby's action at dawn, or the one of the previous day, but Rogues frenzy of wearing as many layers as possible, as she walked into her first lesson. She had opted to miss breakfast. She wasn't hungry. Besides, she didn't want all of those stares from her classmates from the night before with Logan, who, consequently, was now out of the hospital wing, and looking for her.  
  
She was receiving a strange looks from wherever she went, especially as it was a boiling day outside, but Rogue didn't care anymore. Best be safe rather than sorry in her case. Scott was taking the lesson. Actually he was covering from Professor Xavier, while he was talking to another student. He glanced at Rogue as she came in but said nothing. She spent the rest of the lesson looking out of the window, which was unusual for her, as she tended to like science, and listened most intently on the normal day. But it wasn't a normal day. She had used her powers to hurt someone. It was her fault. And she had to live with it. At the end of the lesson Scott called over the departing children, 'Rogue, one moment please'. Bobby looked at Rogue, and they walked to the front, holding hands, Rogue having got over Bobby's comments earlier. Scott gave Bobby a chilling glare, although Bobby returned one much more icy. They never did get on. Rogue whispered that she wouldn't be a minute, and he left, frowning, only to get told of by Logan for not looking, as he rounded the corner and bumped into him.  
  
Scott, however, was only passing on a message to Rogue. 'If you'll go to Professor Xavier's study now. He's expecting you.' He gave rogue a withering look. 'Maybe you don't need All of those layers.' Rogue said nothing. She nodded at his first comment, and walked out of the room, her head down. What was he going to say? She had a feeling it wasn't going to be good. Perhaps he was going to expel her. She gulped as she turned the corner to his study. However, before she could knock, she heard a call from behind her. It was Logan. Rogue froze. 'Don't get near me, Logan. Don't.'  
  
'Rogue.' Logan began. But Rogue cut him short. She was shaking ever so slightly. 'Please don't, oh please. I'm so sorry for what I did. You can't come near me. I can't hurt you again. It's all my fault. I didn't mean to. I just.'  
  
'Rogue, we know you didn't mean to' A voice came from behind her. Xavier had the door open, and he beckoned her in. she was still shaking.  
  
With one glance at Rogue, he sent out a message for Storm. 'We may need you Storm. Make your way over.' He sighed. He'd have to tell her. He wasn't looking forward to it.  
  
TBC  
  
Sorry it doesn't have a real story so far, nor does it incorporate all of the characters. I will add the others in during the story. My first fanfic, so please be lenient. Reviews as well, have something planned, but other ideas would be appreciated. Thanks! 


	2. Talk with the Professor

Rogue sat in the furthest corner, her long black coat wrapped tightly around her. She knew that she had come to a climax of her problems. Everything seemed to have escalated out of control, all of her emotions, and she needed to let go of them. She was scared. She was scared for herself and more importantly, for those around her.  
  
Charles Xavier's head filled with her silent pleas of forgiveness and her worries. Her shaking body was slowly growing less noticeable, but as Xavier knew, this was Rogues disguise for what she felt. He no longer felt anything but pity for this lonely girl who, for all anyone could tell, would never be able to really love another person in the rest of her existence.  
  
He took a deep breath, realizing that his original reason for summoning her would have to be shunned to one side. He faced her and said in a soothing but stern voice, 'Rogue. At the beginning of this year I told everyone that people's mutations are gifts. I could see it then and still do now, that you believe that you are the exception. You are not. Just because your power, is as such uncontrollable, and has therefore caused accidents, it doesn't mean that this does not apply to you. Fate gave you these abilities, and one day you will appreciate them, and your time will come for you to be proud of them.'  
  
She turned to him, a tear trickling down her cheek. 'How can I be proud of them, when all I do is hurt people?'  
  
'Child, You cannot go on the way you are. You cannot hide beneath all of these layers. Maybe your skin has to be hidden, but you, as a person, do not have to stay masked. We need people like you in this school. To keep everything going..."  
  
"Everyone is scared of me. You should know that. They ignore me now. Because of what I did to Lo." she stopped. The memory was still painful.  
  
'People do not hate you. These things happen.." He made a mental reminder to talk to the students.  
  
"You don't see Bobby freezing people do you?" Rogue continued, shaking slightly more.  
  
He sighed. "Rogue. You have to pull yourself together. We are trying to help you. Either that, or I will be forced to ask you to take a holiday."  
  
"Expel.?"  
  
"No, not expel. I know a school, which is run by a friend of mine. You would stay there, and lodge with a couple, elderly, who would understa."  
  
Her voice quivered. "But I don't want to go. I'm happy. Honest", forgetting that the professor could read emotions and minds.  
  
He gave her a penetrating glance. "You haven't eaten for days. You stare out of the window in lessons, or so Scott and everyone else has reported. In fact you have become exceedingly distant from everyone. That does not sound happy to me."  
  
There was a knock on the door. It was Storm. 'Come in." He turned to Rogue. 'Now you are to go with Storm, and you are going to eat something, and do exactly what she tells you. Firstly I think, we need to remove a few of those layers. Meet in the lobby in 5 minutes."  
  
Rogue walked weakly out of the room. She felt dizzy. Maybe she had needed food. She didn't know what had come over her. She didn't notice a shadow trailing her back to her room, and down to the lobby. Nor did she notice Storm stay behind to have a few words to the Professor.  
  
"Did you tell her Professor?"  
  
He sighed. "I did not. She was certainly not ready for it today. It must wait my dear."  
  
"Scott will not be happy" She replied, a slight grin on her serious face.  
  
"Scott and Logan need to pull themselves together" Xavier said sharply. "Or they will find themselves in for a shock. Now, if you would excuse me. I believe you have an appointment."  
  
And with a fleeting glance, Storm walked out of the room to meet Rogue.  
  
TBC  
  
Authors note: sorry I haven't got to the point yet. went on a bit longer than expected. Please review (first fic) and need some pointers. Thank you. 


	3. Scott

Disclaimer: Don't own NE characters etc. don't sue This chapter is just a little conversation between Scott and Xavier. Thought that a linking passage is needed. Please Review!  
  
"She's going to join us, isn't she?"  
  
"Why do you say that?" Professor Charles Xavier said.  
  
Scott had entered the room for a session with Xavier, an occurrence he insisted all of the x-men made. The day was bright, though with a dark cloud looming up in the sky. Children were playing on the basketball court.  
  
"We are down to 3 x-men, 4 if Logan is here. Do you really think that is enough?"  
  
"We've always managed before" Scott said, pacing the floor, a stern expression on his face, which didn't quite reach his eyes. Xavier could tell he was hurting.  
  
"The opposition is getting stronger Scott. I do not know what, but something is going to happen. I can feel it. And I wouldn't be surprised if we were all involved. Yes, including Rogue. She is potentially dangerous - we must help her, and encourage her to use her power. We may need it."  
  
Scott said nothing, and looked towards the ground, rested on the nearby mantel piece, and sighed.. "You were going to tell her something?"  
  
"I was indeed. But I feel that the time is not right. I will have to break the news to her soon. Why do it when she is in so much pain at the moment already? I am going to ask her to join our training sessions along with Bobby once a week. Not to include them totally, but to let them see how things are run. Just in case."  
  
Scott remained silent. A dread hung over him. That hadn't left him since Jean's de--, since Jean had gone. Xavier could sense what Scott was thinking.  
  
"I miss her professor. Why did she make that choice. We needed her. Why couldn't Kurt have got her out. Or even Rogue with Kurt's. I'm sure she could. She should have."  
  
"You are clutching at what ifs Scott. Things always seem different afterwards. Do not feel bitter towards Rogue. You should feel united, for she too has grieved. We are not replacing Jean," the professor said. "She could never ever be replaced, and you know that."  
  
"Well, it certainly seems that way," Scott said, his voice hardening. "She hasn't done anything but cause trouble since she came here. How do you know if it will continue this way. I saw her this morning. Wrapped in self pity. And yes, I do pity her, because she can't touch things. She can't express-"  
  
"A bit like you then Scott," Xavier said giving a piercing glance to the withdrawn looking man. "Unable to scare things with others, hiding away in the past, or in pity. She won't come back Scott. We have to continue."  
  
Scott nodded dumbly, defeated. He knew he hadn't behaved in a leader like manner, and everyone had understood, and sympathized. But he had to get a grip of his emotions. It was affecting the school. Arguments were more frequent, and the air was drenched in anxiety and soberness. He nodded at the professor, and walked out of the room, pondering, a tear trickling down his cheek.  
  
Something was coming. They could all feel it, sense it. But what, they just didn't know.  
  
_  
  
TBC  
  
Hey, sorry, quite a short chapter. Please R & R. I need reviews to keep going. Not sure whether I should stop, and restart another story. Thank you for all ppl who have reviewed so far. Its helped me! xxx 


	4. The shadow approaches

It was Kitty's birthday and the class couldn't keep still, even though they were sitting in a biology exam, at separate desks. It was a perfect time for Rogue to think about the weeks happenings. Bobby and herself had joined a weekly session, where they had practiced fighting skill, without using powers. That, in Rogues case was nothing new, but Bobby still found it difficult to punch someone, instead of freezing them. Rogue grinned as she remembered Bobby freezing Logan in mid air, causing him to come down to earth with a resounding crack. Bobby didn't seem to regret that move.  
Rogues grin disappeared and she sighed. There was something not quite right. She had pulled herself together after Xavier's talk, but she couldn't help but think that there was something that he wasn't telling her. He gave her a look of pity every time she passed. It couldn't be connected to her power. Only yesterday had she managed to touch the stem of a particularly nice purple flower for a few seconds before it wilted. Purple. The colour for death. That's what Rogue brought to everything. But it had been a start, and she had been proud when Scott had told her that her progress was very reassuring.  
Scott all of a sudden had taken up his role in the school again, although punishments were very harsh, and no one took advantage of his thinking any longer.  
An incident at breakfast had grabbed her attention, and she thought about it now, remembering, first to open the test booklet to page one, and glance at the first question. Letters had come through and it was then that they were handed out. There weren't normally that many, due to the fact that many of the students were runaways, but a good 20 came the other day. It was then that Xavier made his appearance, which wasn't usual for him to do at that time. He took the letters, and sorted through them, one by one, until he found what he wanted. A letter in a long white envelope, and he had glanced at it, a worried look on his face, and departed. That was it. Rogue didn't know why it bothered her, but it did.  
  
Meanwhile, a shadow was crouching in the corner, smiling. All he needed to do, he thought to herself, was let a droplet from a finger touch his targets, and they would become troublesome, and argumentative. Just what he needed. He pondered. Why this class again? Oh yes, it contained the oldest students, and also the girl with the two white stripes, Rogue. If she grew argumentative, then who knew what would happen. He smiled, killing someone by using her, wasn't his main plan, but if it happened, all the better. He had no sympathy for these children. His target was much more interesting.  
And for the time being, no one knew he was here. He smiled.  
  
Rogue looked up as she heard Storm telling the class to put their pens down and close their booklets. She looked at her paper. She had written her name, and that didn't even qualify for a mark. If you got a low score at this age, it was considered a crime, especially as she normally got a good 80% on tests. She grimaced as she closed the paper, and handed it to Storm without looking at her face. Maybe Storm would put it down to being Kitty's birthday. Wishful thinking.  
  
TBC Sorry, its short, I have my Biology GCSE tomorrow, and I probably need to revise now, which is probably why I had Rogue sit the exam for me. That she didn't answer a single question is worrying, but hopefully ill do better! Please please Review, I need all the comments I can. It keeps me going! Thank you 'Sinful Perversion' for making an account just to tell me u liked the story!! Great! And to everyone else who has commented! Keep on going! 


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